Paintings
by Velocity-82
Summary: Altaïr goes through an unexpected change. How will Malik cope with it?


Malik was working on another map. It's all he ever has done since the incident at Solomon's Temple. He could have still been an assassin, had his left arm, and his brother if it weren't for…

"Altaïr?" Malik said.

Altaïr had been gone for almost three weeks on a single mission that was supposed to only take a day or so. Malik didn't like him but he was getting worried. Was he dead? Malik cleared his mind and continued on his map.

* * *

><p>Altaïr sat on the cold, hard floor with his tied arms held above his head. He was half naked. Captured by a measly guard… how…disappointing. If his weapons hadn't been stripped from him he would have rather killed himself than live under capture by a simpleton, or as they like to call themselves "guards". Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming toward him and light that turned from a cracked door turned into light from a wide open door shone on his face. Three figures guarded by the shadow's embrace stepped into the room. Two were obviously guards but the one major person was… unfamiliar? Altaïr tried to activate his eagle vision but they had beaten him far too much. He had to rely on normal senses now. Altaïr looked down as the figure began to speak to him.<p>

"Well, well, well… what have we here?" The figure said. Altaïr could now recognize that this person was a male. The man then stepped towards Altaïr and lifted his chin up. "Oh dear! An assassin! Well this is quite a surprise! I'd never thought I'd see the day when the Templars finally catch an assassin!" The man spoke.

"Okay." Altaïr thought in his mind. "Man, Templar, and what else?"

Altaïr looked for clues but the shadows that concealed the men forbade that such an action take place. Then Altaïr figured that the only way he would be able to get to identify his captors would be to be taken into the light. And the only way to be taken into the light would have to be by being… punished? Yes, punished! Altaïr then spat towards the man. The man stepped bag, disgusted and angry.

"Very well… if you wish to behave as a wild animal then we shall treat you as one." The man then said. He then motioned the guards and the guards came and dragged Altaïr out of the room.

Altaïr then looked up at the man. He couldn't recognize the man himself but he could easily tell that this man was a higher ranking Templar.

"Well… mission complete." Altaïr thought to himself. "Now to find out what he meant by "animal".

Suddenly Altaïr was thrown into a room and a bright light switched on. Altaïr looked around him. This room looked nothing of what he had seen before. It was painted with blue and white colors and the walls seemed to be made of panels which could be moved. Then suddenly he was pinned to the floor by two men. He struggled to move but could not throw one of the two men off of him. He then felt something sharp in his right arm and before he knew it he was unconscious.

When Altaïr awoke he was no longer in the room where he had been when he was first put unconscious. He was… outside? He looked and he could see his city far….far in the distance. He was also fully clothed and his weapons had been returned. Then suddenly four men came up to him and started talking to him.

"Hey there! What are you doing out here amidst this desert?" One man said.

"We'll gladly give a ride to the nearest city to you dear." Another man said with a flirtatious tone?

"Um thanks… but I'm not ga-"Altaïr began but was quickly interrupted.

"Nonsense! Come my dear let us take you to that city in the distance!" Another man spoke.

Altaïr was gracious for the ride to his city but… dear? What the hell!?

When Altaïr was dropped off he thanked the men and they returned the thank you with an, "Anytime sweetheart." Altaïr was having a sort of WTF moment. He then began walking back toward the bureau. As he walked through the market he noticed a bunch of men kept staring at him, but he continued walking… awkwardly. He then passed a shop that was selling tea. Altaïr knew that Malik liked tea so he went in and grabbed a bunch. As he was exiting he noticed a beautiful portrait of a woman. Altaïr hadn't really had time to admire the beauty of women and relationships and such but wow… this painting was just… amazing. He then went up to a clerk.

"How much for the painting?" Altaïr asked.

"What painting?" The clerk replied.

"This one!" Altaïr said, pointing at the painting.

The clerk laughed, "That's not a painting! That's a mirror!"


End file.
